


Taken in

by Kyril



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Found Family, Gen, Genderfluid Crowley (Good Omens), Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), Hurt Loki (Marvel), Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki Gets a Hug (Marvel), ineffable husbands take care of loki, mentions of torture, no details but I want to warn for it anyway, takes place after Thor 1 but before Avengers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:07:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28074441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyril/pseuds/Kyril
Summary: A very shaken god of mischief finds himself inside a bookshop in Soho.
Relationships: Aziraphale (Good Omens) & Loki (Marvel), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens) & Loki (Marvel)
Comments: 166
Kudos: 502
Collections: Loki crash-landing in people’s backyards





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got inspired to look for fics where Aziraphale and Crowley take in Loki but couldn't quite find what I was looking for. So, I wrote it myself haha

"Oh dear," is the first thing Loki hears as he comes to his senses. He blinks open his eyes, only to come face to face with a blonde man leaning over him with a worried expression.  
"Are you alright, my dear? That looked quite painful."

Loki blinks. Where...? He turns to look around but stops short as blinding pain shoots through him. Right.  
He was in the middle of another _exercise_ with the Other. Then, how come he's here now?

The stranger tuts at him, recapturing his attention. "You're hurt. We can't have that, now can we? Here." He flicks his hand, and the pain vanishes.  
Loki stares at him. That's far more advanced than any healing magic he knows.

The man offers his hand, and Loki takes it, unthinking. He's pulled to his feet effortlessly.  
"Where-" he has to clear his throat, "Where am I?"  
"Ah, why don't you sit down first. Would you like some tea? I imagine we've got quite a lot to talk about."

A short while later, Loki finds himself sitting on a comfortable couch in the backroom of a bookshop in Soho. ("London," Aziraphale, the owner of said bookshop had offered at Loki's blank stare. "England. Earth?")

"So," Aziraphale starts after handing over a steaming cup of tea. "How did you end up here? Gave me quite the fright, I must admit."  
Loki frowns. "I don't know." He dislikes the idea of _not knowing._ Especially since he evidently had no control over his destination. Is this some kind of trick? Did Thanos orchestrate this?  
Loki disregards the idea. Thus far, his capturer's plans have been much more straightforward. And more painful.

"Well, what were you doing before you, uh, changed locations?" Aziraphale has been remarkably patient since Loki crashed into his shop. He also seems rather observant, looking at him with empathetic eyes as Loki draws closer into himself.

"Nothing pleasant, I assume?"  
Loki doesn't answer. He startles when Aziraphale places a warm hand on his own. "You don't have to tell me, of course. But it might help to figure this out."

Loki takes a deep breath, steeling himself. He has nothing left to lose. And the bookshop owner makes him feel weirdly at ease. At least more than he felt in years.  
"I was captured. I don't know how long it's been." Aziraphale's hand gives him a reassuring squeeze. "They were using... certain methods to bend my will."

"They hurt you." Loki looks up and is surprised to see anger burning behind the man's kind eyes. Anger not directed at Loki, but on his behalf. He nods.

"We were in the middle of another... session. And now I'm here. I don't know what happened."

Aziraphale leans back in his own seat. "I don't mean to presume, but you have magic, don't you, my boy?" Loki blinks, then nods. "Is it possible that your magic acted on its own to get you out of there?"

Loki considers it. It would not be the first time this happened. Of course, it's been years since he had last lost control in such a way.  
Before he can formulate an answer, a loud "Angel?" rings through the shop. Aziraphale startles. "Oh, dear, I completely forgot." Louder, he calls, "Back here!"

A tall, lanky man, completely dressed in black with dark red hair, and a pair of sunglasses on his nose saunters into the room. He takes a quick look at Loki before focusing his attention entirely on Aziraphale. "You have a visitor?" He sounds a bit put upon, before Aziraphale jumps up from his seat, taking the newcomers hands. "I'm so very sorry, I forgot about dinner. But this poor boy appeared in my shop and was hurt and I couldn't just-"

"Angel," the man interrupts, voice much more gentle than before, "I get it. No need to justify yourself."  
Aziraphale takes a breath and nods. He turns towards Loki. "Loki, this is Crowley, my husband. Crowley, this is Loki. He quite literally appeared out of nowhere, and we are currently trying to figure out how."

"Loki, huh?" Crowley says, shooting him a grin. "Nice to meet you."  
"Likewise," Loki says politely.  
He's not sure yet where to place the man. But if Aziraphale married him, he can't be too bad, he supposes. Huh. When did he form such a high opinion of the shopkeeper?

Loki watches as Aziraphale gets another cup of tea out for his husband before the two settle down together.

"Now," Crowley says, "you said, that you 'appeared out of nowhere'? How's that work?"

"Magic, presumably," Loki answers dryly.

The man huffs a laugh. "Must be some magic, you have." The way it's worded, this might have been sarcasm, but Crowley sounds surprisingly sincere.  
So, Loki answers sincerely, "It would not be the first time I walked between worlds, but it usually takes a considerable amount of control. I didn't have any at that moment."

Loki watches Aziraphale turn to Crowley and mouth the word _torture._  
The man frowns. "No." His husband nods, face set in stone. Crowley's hands curl into fists. "Who the fuck tortures a kid?"  
Loki looks at him, baffled. "I'm not a child."

He feels like Crowley squints at him from behind the sunglasses he has yet to take off. "You look like one. How old are you?"  
"A little over a millennium."

Crowley baulks. "No way." He gathers himself quickly. "Okay, so, you're not human. So human standards of ageing are out the window. Are you actually an adult by whatever standard your type has?"

"Yes, the ceremony was a few years ago."

"So, you're what? 18 in human years?"

"I suppose so."

Crowley nods, leaning back. "Hate to break it to you, but you're a kid." His husband nods with a smile.  
Loki frowns.

Aziraphale smiles gently. "Do you have a place to go? Surely someone must be looking for you."

"No." The pair shoot him surprised looks.  
Loki shrugs, looking away. "They think I'm dead. And they're probably glad about it."

Now, the men share deep frowns.  
Aziraphale leans forward, placing his hand on Loki's once again. "If that is true, then you are welcome to stay here as long as you need." Loki stares.  
"Angel, you sure about this?"  
The man nods. "Of course. Oh, don't give me that look. You want to send him back out even less then I do."

Loki continues staring. "Stay here?" he finally manages.  
"Of course, only if you want to!" Aziraphale is quick to add. "But yes, if you'd like, you can stay here." He sounds... hopeful?

Crowley leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "Listen, kid, whoever hurt you deserves to rot in hell, trust me on that one. And if you're family sucks as much as it sounds like, you're much better off staying here. No one's gonna hurt you as long as you're with us."

Loki blinks, swallows. "You don't even know me. What if I deserved everything?"  
He yelps, when Aziraphale suddenly pulls him into a bone-crushing hug. "There is no way for you to deserve what was done to you." He pulls back slightly to smile at him. "And you're right. We don't know you. Not yet. But we would love to get to know you."

Crowley grins at him. "So, what do you say, want to stay? You can always change your mind later."

Loki stays silent for a while. He takes everything in. The way Aziraphale has still not let go of him, warm presence enveloping him. The way Crowley smiles, mischievous and kind at the same time.  
The way showing up in this bookshop might be the best thing to happen to him in years.

Loki nods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, that's it! I don't know yet if I'll continue this, we'll see haha
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki asks questions but ends up answering more than he gets answers for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhh, hey!  
> Gotta say I'm completely blown away by the reception this received. Thank you so much!  
> And since apparently today is Loki's birthday, here's another chapter :)

Loki gets his own room in the apartment above the bookshop. It is tiny compared to his former rooms in the palace. Compared to the cell he spent the past weeks (months?) in, however, it is the hight of luxury.  
There had been a bit of an argument between Aziraphale and Crowley about the decorations ("Tartan, Angel, really?" "Well, you'd just make it all black." _"I would not!"_ ), until they had concluded that Loki was perfectly capable of deciding the colour scheme on his own.

The room decorated to his liking (with _tasteful_ amounts of black, green and gold), Loki returns downstairs.  
By now, he has at least partially gotten over the shock of crashing into the bookshop. And suddenly being taken in by two mysterious strangers. At least one of whom is capable of highly advanced healing magic.  
Loki has questions.

He finds the pair in the backroom, Aziraphale sitting on the couch amidst a new pile of books, one of them open in his lap. Crowley is leaning over the back, face scrunched up as he points at something in said book.  
His expression clears as Loki enters the room. "Hey, welcome back! Done with your room?"

Loki nods. "Yes, thank you for providing it."  
Aziraphale smiles at him, carefully closing the book in his hands. "Of course, dear. We can't have you sleeping on the couch, after all. Would you like to sit down and have some more tea?"  
Crowley grins. "Yeah, you look like you have some questions."  
Loki hides his surprise and nods. He hadn't expected to be read this easily.

Crowley clears away the books, while his husband prepares more tea. Soon enough, all three are seated, each with their own steaming cup.  
Aziraphale clears his throat. "Now, what would you like to know, my boy? We will do our best to answer any questions you have."  
Crowley grins. "Might ask you some things in return, but if they make you uncomfortable, you don't need to answer."

Admittedly, Loki is still a bit exhausted, which is why he chooses his words not as carefully as he'd usually have. "What do you gain from letting me stay?"  
Crowley's grin slips for a moment, "Uh, I don't need sending a previously kidnapped kid back onto the streets on my conscience."  
Aziraphale tuts at his husband. "It is the right thing to do."  
"Yeah, sure, that too."

Loki furrows his brows. "My presence could put you in danger."  
Crowley shrugs, grin returning, showing teeth that are just a little bit too sharp. "Whoever it is can try if they want."  
Aziraphale rolls his eyes. "This place is very well warded, you do not need to worry. You're safe here, and we know how to defend ourselves should it come to that."  
His husband nods. "Not to brag, but Aziraphale here used to swing around a big ol' flaming sword. He's good at protecting people."  
"Oh, you, stop that." There is a faint dusting of pink on Aziraphale's cheek as he waves Crowley off.  
"Would you rather I lie?"  
"Now, I didn't say _that_."  
Loki blinks at the obvious affection they have for each other as they devolve into bickering.

Aziraphale ends it by giving Loki an embarrassed look. "Our apologies for that. That was quite childish."  
"I'm not sorry," Crowley shrugs easily, grinning at Loki and earning himself a light swap on the arm from his husband.  
Aziraphale shoots him a half-hearted glare, before focusing on Loki again. "Now, where were we?"  
"Questions," Crowley answers, still grinning.

Loki wouldn't admit it out loud, but they make him feel weirdly at ease. Which is why he turns to Aziraphale and asks, "How did you heal me? I have never witnessed such advanced healing magic."  
"Oh, that? Just a little miracle," the shopkeeper answers as if it is the most normal thing to find on Midgard.  
"A miracle?" Loki repeats carefully. He glances over at Crowley, who just shrugs in response, clearly not bothered in the slightest. 

It is honestly impressive how readable his face is despite the sunglasses. Speaking of which, "Why are you wearing those?" Ah, that might have been a bit blunt.  
Crowley's forehead creases for a moment before a cheeky grin returns.  
"Wanna see? Just promise not to freak out."  
"Crowley, dear, he's already been through a lot today, do you think this is a good idea?" Aziraphale interjects, worry evident in his voice.  
"Eh, I think the kid's stronger then you give him credit for. He wasn't surprised that you fixed him up, just wondering how."

"I'm certain I can handle whatever you are talking about."  
Crowley grins. "See, told you."  
He leans forward conspiratorially and slowly slides his glasses down his nose. Yellow eyes with slit pupils are revealed. One winks at Loki.  
"That," Loki says after a moment, "is certainly unique."  
Crowley barks a laugh and puts the glasses back on. "Not bothered at all, I like that."  
"So, you are not human either, I assume." It's a less a question and more a statement of fact. Unless humans have undergone some significant changes since Loki last engaged with them in a meaningful manner (no, what happened before his Fall does not count).

Crowley shrugs. "'Course not. Humans can't do what we do."  
"Oh," Aziraphale says, suddenly excited. "I have heard that some rather extraordinary humans have appeared over on the Americas."  
"Of course," Crowley makes a face, "they're always so public with everything there. Makes you wonder what the news would be like if every country was like that."  
"Now, I'm fairly certain it is mostly those United States. They do try to make most things about themself."  
"Eh, England's not much different when it comes to that."

Loki sits quietly as the pair once again venture off-topic. This seems to be the norm among them. He'll get his answers, even if it takes a while.

He sips his tea until they finally remember that he's in the room with them. Crowley looks like he derives a lot of enjoyment from distracting Aziraphale. The latter seems embarrassed about it again.  
Loki doesn't roll his eyes, though he does raise an eyebrow. "How old are you, exactly?"  
Crowley snorts, as Aziraphale turns pink. Loki doesn't really expect an answer, but he gets one anyway.  
"A little over six millennia, to use your words."

Loki can't help it, he stares. Six thousand years. "You're as old as my..." he stops himself, "as the Allfather."  
"Allfather?" Crowley asks at the same time Aziraphale says "Your?"  
They share a look before Crowley gestures for the other to go ahead. "You cut yourself off. What did you mean to say?"

Loki feels lightheaded. He has had a lot of time to think since the _incident_ on the Bifrost. Problematic was simply that his mind was often otherwise occupied while he was in his cell. And during the _sessions_ with the Other, well...  
Put simply, past wounds have not healed, no matter how much he wishes they had.

"Hey," Crowley says suddenly, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Remember what I said? You don't need to tell us if you don't want to."  
Loki swallows. He still feels like he owes them both at least some kind of answer.  
"The Allfather, Odin, adopted me as a prize of war. I only found out shortly before I... left." There, nice and succinct. Now they can move on. Except...

Except both men stare at him with equally horrified expressions.  
"I'm so sorry to hear that happened to you," Aziraphale speaks first. He moves over to sit next to Loki. "I know I didn't ask last time, but would you like me to give you a hug?"  
"I- what?"  
"Kid, what you just said is horrible." Crowley's face is grim. "Children aren't prizes to be won and taken home. That should never have happened to you. And the fact that you didn't know? I get why you left."

Loki blinks. His surroundings are weirdly fuzzy. "It's- it's more than that."

And then, Loki tells them everything that happened. The coronation, the trip to Jotunheim, the discovery of his identity, Odin's reaction, Thor's banishment, Loki killing his biological father, his attempt to destroy all of Jotunheim, him being stopped by Thor, Odin, "No, Loki.", Loki letting go.  
He's not sure if he's trying to convince them of his own wrongdoing or if he just really needs to let it out. Regardless, neither Aziraphale nor Crowley ever seem to judge him. At some point, Aziraphale had still pulled him into another hug.

"That's a lot," Crowley finally says. Aziraphale gets more tea.  
Crowley continues, "I mean, you clearly also made some, uh, questionable choices along the way, but I'm the last person to judge you for that."  
"Yes," Aziraphale agrees, sitting back down next to Loki. "What's it called? Extenuating circumstances? You may have made mistakes, but there is no way for anyone in your situation to make rational decisions. Quite frankly," he seems to puff up with anger, and Loki is momentarily stricken by the image of a dove in his mind. "I'd like to have a word with those people that claim to be your family. That is no way to treat anyone, let alone your child." Once again, it is anger on Loki's behalf.  
"Agreed," Crowley spits.

Loki meanwhile feels, what is best described as, overwhelmed. These men that have known him for less than a day have decided that not only can he stay with them but think what happened to him wasn't right. In fact, they believe it was wrong enough to get offended for him.

Perhaps landing here really is the best thing that could have happened to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is going to be at least one more chapter, possibly two.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this one!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki spends time with Crowley and Aziraphale, and they all learn more about each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'd say I'm sorry this took so long but... My wrists acted up, and I don't like apologizing for things I can't control.  
> There is definitely going to be another chapter, we'll see how long it takes me this time.
> 
> For now, I hope you enjoy this one!

While Loki's integration into Aziraphale' and Crowley's life is not _seamless,_ it goes far more smoothly than he had expected. For one, he's allowed to read in the bookshop. After Crowley had helped him convince Aziraphale, that is. (Yes, he would be careful, yes, he'd make sure not to be mistaken for a customer by others, no, he would not make people want to enter. You get the point.) Aziraphale turns out to be rather protective of his expansive collection. Loki can't really blame him. They seem to share a similar view of books.

Within the first few weeks after his arrival, Loki learns a lot about his new... residence. And the two men who have decided to take him in.  
Despite being married and Crowley spending most of his time at the bookshop, he still owns and maintains his own flat. He _claims_ that he sometimes just needs time on his own. (Aziraphale told Loki that he simply has too many plants to move and doesn't want to get rid of any of them.)  
Crowley also gets hissy when in a bad mood. Literally. Every _S_ gets sharper, more drawn out. Eventually, he'll actually hiss at Aziraphale and then leave to mope and apologise later. (He never hisses at Loki.)  
Aziraphale tolerates his husband's antics with an indulgent smile and the occasional eye-roll.

Loki hasn't witnessed Aziraphale get angry yet. He's certain that the man actively avoids showing negative emotions around him.  
He isn't sure how to feel about that. On the one hand, it's appreciated. On the other though, there is a small voice in his head that tells him he just hasn't messed up enough yet. That one day both Aziraphale and Crowley will realise what a mistake it was to allow him to stay. (The voice sounds suspiciously like another man that 'took him in'. Loki regularly tells it to shut up. It barely helps.)

For now, Loki has decided to make the most of his time on Midgard. As have Aziraphale and Crowley, apparently.  
They take him with them to the nearby park or to eat dinner at different restaurants. He gets to visit theatres and museums. (His hosts have a lot to say about those. A lot.) 

Loki has also discovered that Crowley calling his husband "Angel" is far more literal than he had first assumed. The realisation had happened gradually since Loki never felt that it would be appropriate to ask outright "What are you?" And every time he attempted to get the answer more subtly, Crowley and Aziraphale had both completely derailed the conversation with whatever he had accidentally reminded them of.  
It had frustrated him at first - until he realised that they weren't trying to hide anything.

"I'm not nice; I'm a demon." - "Of course you are, dear."

"I don't think that would be a good idea." - "'Course, you don't; You're an angel."

Exchanges like this are not only surprisingly common but also more hints than Loki would usually need. He had admittedly felt rather stupid when it finally clicked. 

⁂

_"You mean that literally," Loki blurts out. He's leaning against the wall, watching Aziraphale and Crowley argue half-heartedly about something in their past.  
Both men stop their argument immediately and turn to look at Loki. "What do you mean, dear?" Aziraphale asks gently.  
"Calling yourself an angel and a demon. That's what you are." His voice wavers on the brink of accusation, though it's mostly born out of frustration with himself. How did he not catch on sooner?  
"Oh." Aziraphale blinks.  
"Did we not say that?", Crowley asks, more directed at Aziraphale then Loki.  
"I," his husband starts, frowning slightly, "I don't think we did." He turns back to Loki. "We are so sorry. We didn't mean to mislead you."  
"Yeah," Crowley adds, ducking his head slightly, "Sorry 'bout that."_

⁂

Loki had waved them off at the time. He wasn't really bothered by them not telling him directly. By now it even amuses him that they forgot and simply assumed he knew.  
They had also managed to stop him from thinking of himself as stupid for not figuring it out sooner. After all, he had no prior experience with angels or demons. 

He has the hint of a smile on his face as he walks down the stairs and enters the bookshop. Aziraphale is out to run some errands, though he said Crowley would probably show up before he'd be back.  
Loki feels weirdly honoured every time he's left alone with the shop. It feels like... like Aziraphale trusts him.

He turns a corner and finds himself face to face with a giant black snake draping over what Loki has come to think of as _his_ chair. The snake flicks its tongue out at him.  
It doesn't seem aggressive, so Loki doesn't immediately pull out a dagger and kill it. (He keeps the dagger hidden in his sleeve for now.)  
He carefully steps closer, making sure to stay out of its immediate range. The snake follows his movements but doesn't seem bothered in the slightest.  
Loki sighs. "I'm assuming Aziraphale knows about you." He doubts the snake would have managed to enter otherwise. To his surprise, the animal nods its head.  
So it understands him.  
Well, that makes things easier.

He looks the snake over, still keeping his distance. What he assumes to be the majority of its body is curled up on the chair's seat, its head leaning on the backrest. The rest of it stretches over the ground, disappearing underneath a bookshelf.  
"That's a tripping hazard," Loki points out dryly. It's not like anyone besides him, Aziraphale or Crowley would walk here, but it's still the truth.

Another flick of the tongue, before the whole animal shifts. The parts on the ground draw in closer, the head lifts from the backrest.  
It takes less than three seconds for the snake to disappear, and for Crowley to emerge on the chair in its stead, a lazy grin on his face. He waves at Loki.

"You're a shapeshifter," Loki breathes.  
Crowley's grin widens. "I'm a serpent."  
Loki stands up straighter, allowing a small smirk to appear on his lips. "Well, I _am_ a shapeshifter."

Aziraphale returns from his errands to find two snakes, one large and black, the other smaller and dark green. They're curled up together in the middle of his bookshop, fast asleep. He smiles. Good to see Loki getting more comfortable.

⁂

One day, Crowley barges into the bookshop, startling both Loki and Aziraphale who had been involved in a passionate discussion about _King Lear_.  
"Angel!" Crowley calls, waving something in front of his husband's face. "Look what I got!"  
It takes a moment, but Aziraphale finally asks, "A letter?"  
"Correct! Guess who wrote it." Crowley lets himself fall down on the couch next to his husband, holding the envelope so that the sender's name is pointed away from him. Incidentally, this gives Loki the perfect view.

"Oh, I didn't even know that you get letters," Aziraphale says as Loki reads.  
"Warlock?" What kind of name is that? That's a profession if anything.  
He notices Crowley frowning at him. Oh. He said that out loud, didn't he?  
"Who is that?" Loki asks instead of feeling bad because Aziraphale's face completely lit up at the name's mention.  
Only, to turn into a frown moments later. "Crowley, dear, how come Warlock knows your address?"  
"Uh," Crowley fidgets with the letter in his hands, "I might have let him know after, you know, the world didn't end."  
Aziraphale sighs, before smiling again. "Of course you did. Well, what does he write?"

Vigour renewed, Crowley slits open the envelope and takes out the letter. He clears his throat before reading out loud: " _Dear Nanny (my mom says I should write 'Ms Ashtoreth' now but that's weird. Also hello Brother Francis!)_ "  
"Huh," Aziraphale says, "did you-"  
"No," Crowley interrupts, "I didn't tell him about you or, uh, us."

Loki stares at them. "Nanny," he finally states not asks, "Brother Francis."  
Aziraphale's cheeks turn slightly pink, while Crowley simply grins.  
And so, Loki finally gets to hear the story of Crowley and Aziraphale failing to raise the Antichrist and thereby helping to stop the world from ending. 

At the end, there is one small detail that clings to his mind, begging to be spoken aloud. And because Loki has been with Crowley and Aziraphale for a little while now, he does. "You lived as a woman?"  
Crowley nods, not self-conscious at all. "Sure, multiple times over the millennia."  
"And that", Loki's mouth feels suddenly dry, "is alright?"  
"'Course. I mean, it's not like anyone could stop me."  
"And would it be acceptable for others as well?" He tries not to let the desperation he feels seep into his voice. Judging by Aziraphale's look, he only partially succeeds.  
Crowley shrugs. "Don't see why not."  
And because Loki lived the life he lived, he asks one last time, "What if I did?" Instinctively he braces himself for the reaction.

Crowley grins at him. "Go for it, if you want."  
Loki can feel some of the tension leave his body as he takes a deep breath. "It- it wouldn't be all the time, just... sometimes."  
Aziraphale gives him a gentle smile. "You can do whatever you want, my dear."

So, Loki shifts. The change is small but visible.  
Crowley cheers. "Nice!"  
"Yes, you do look very nice," Aziraphale agrees.

This is the first time Loki dared to change like this in front of others without getting an adverse reaction. After all, Asgard wouldn't deem it very princely to change into a woman. 

Life certainly is different now.  
Loki smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it!  
> There's a bit of a weather warning for the next chapter ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor arrives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this time I'm sorry it took so long. Apologies for the delay.  
> This is now my fic with the most kudos and I'm still a bit overwhelmed tbh
> 
> Anyway, this is the last chapter (at least I think it is atm) considering that this was planned to be a one shot I don't think the story turned out too bad haha
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

Loki gets uncomfortable during thunderstorms. It doesn't take long for Aziraphale to notice and soon all three of them occupy the backroom, drinking tea, talking or reading, whenever one rolls around.  
Crowley seems to have made it his goal to get Loki to smile if not to laugh during each storm. Loki appreciates it, and even though he doesn't say it out loud, the man appears to understand.

"Once," Crowley is in the middle of telling another story of the many times he managed to wreak havoc among humanity (read, slightly or not so slightly inconvenience people). "I took down the entire London mobile phone network."  
Loki smirks. "That must have infuriated so many people."  
Crowley almost cheers. "Yes! Exactly! You get it." He nudges Aziraphale, who pretends to listen only disapprovingly. "See, Angel, Loki understands these things."  
"Yes, I see that," he sighs, but by now Loki can tell when his husband's antics secretly amuse him.

There is a deafening crash outside, startling not only Loki this time.  
"Oh dear," Aziraphale fusses, "I better go and check. Not that any buildings catch on fire."  
Crowley nods. "You do that. We'll wait here. Call if it's serious."  
"Will do," Aziraphale agrees, already half out the door. He makes sure to close it behind him, before quickly pulling on his coat and heading outside.

The rain is falling in sheets, making it hard to see anything at all. Aziraphale checks the surrounding buildings for any suspicious light but thankfully finds nothing. 

He almost misses the man that is making his way towards him.

When he finally comes to a stop in front of him, Aziraphale has to look up to even see his face. You'd think he'd be used to that by now, living with Loki. Still, it is an entirely different matter, having the teenager around, compared to this stranger.  
The man glares down at him, hair getting whipped around by the storm. In his hand he carries a large - is that a hammer? Aziraphale frowns.

"Where," the man suddenly booms, voice carrying over the rain effortlessly, "is Loki?"  
Aziraphale's frown deepens. "My good sir, may I ask who you are? I don't think I have seen you around before." His voice sounds pleasant, sharpness purposefully hidden behind rounded vowels.  
"Do not play dumb with me, human. I know that my brother is hiding here."  
Human? Aziraphale smiles. This must be Thor.

"I'm sure this is all a big misunderstanding. Now, would you be so kind as to stop threatening me with that hammer of yours? It might give off the wrong impression."  
Thor almost looks a bit surprised, as if raising the hammer was a natural, thoughtless action. To his credit, he does lower his hand. He doesn't drop the supposedly intimidating glower, however.  
"Now, tell me where my brother is hiding."

There is a certain dramatic irony to Crowley and Loki growing impatient with Aziraphale's absence and deciding to open the door in just that moment.  
"Thor?" Loki's voice is barely audible, though his shock is evident.  
"Loki!" In contrast, Thor's voice still booms over the storm with a mixture of anger and surprise.

It takes Thor barely three steps to walk past Aziraphale towards the store.  
Loki freezes when Thor's hand reaches towards him. It suddenly stops, Crowley shoving himself between them.  
"Nope," he says with a grin, but his voice is sharp. "You're not touching him."  
Thor almost growls, expression grim. "Move aside. This situation does not need to involve either of you."  
"Oh, but it does," Crowley smirks. "You see, Loki agreed to stay with us. That means he's under our protection."  
Aziraphale steps up to his husband's side, both of them now forming a barrier, separating Thor from Loki. "And you are not getting any closer to him, unless _Loki_ wants you to."

Thor is taken aback. Clearly, these two men have no idea who they are dealing with. He builds himself up to his full height, towering over them.  
They smile at him. Well, the blonde one does. The other's expression is more akin to a smirk.

"Step aside," Thor commands.  
"Nope," the lanky one repeats, popping the P. His smirk grows wider, showing too sharp teeth.  
"Step," Thor growls, putting a hand on the blonde one's shoulder, "aside." He pushes.  
The man doesn't move at all. His feet remain planted on the ground, the fabric of his coat creasing under Thor's grip.

Thor's thoughts grind to a halt. This is no mere human.  
The man smiles at him. "I suggest you take your hand off me. I'm sure we can talk about this in a civilised manner."  
"Yeah," the other man snarls, "hands off. Now."

Thor complies on instinct alone. He has seldom met a man that could withstand his might without any problem at all.  
The blonde straightens his coat and _turns away from Thor,_ directing his next words towards Loki.  
"Loki, my boy, it is your decision. Do you think we ought to let him inside to talk?"  
Thor wants to interrupt, but the thinner man is still snarling at him, and at this point, he is not going to assume him human either.  
He watches Loki's expression turn thoughtful before smirking a little.  
Thor recognises the mischievous sparkle in his eyes. (And when was the last time he saw that? It has been so long.)  
"I think he'll behave him himself enough. Won't you, Thor?"

He has to hold back another growl, instead grits his teeth and nods. These men won't be on Loki's side any longer once Thor managed to tell them the truth of his brother's misdeeds. He'll be able to take him back to Asgard, and this whole ordeal will be over.  
So, Thor nods and answers through gritted teeth, "Of course. I meant no disrespect."

The blonde man claps his hands together with a smile. "Fantastic. Let's go inside then. Oh!" He stops and finally turns back to Thor. "I'm Aziraphale, and this is my husband, Crowley."

They head inside, Loki being the first, followed by Crowley, then Thor and finally Aziraphale. Thor is sure this is deliberate. He has to force himself not to look from one man to the other.

They end up in a backroom, Loki and Crowley on one couch, Thor on the opposite one. Aziraphale brings out tea before sitting down next to him.

The silence drags on as Loki makes a show out of sipping his tea first. Finally, he speaks up, "Now, what are you doing here? With the Bifrost gone the Allfather must have used a lot of dark energy to bring you here."  
"Father has tasked me with bringing you home."

"Oh, I'm sure Odin-"  
"Father," Thor interrupts, causing Loki to glare at him.  
"Yes, _your_ father."  
" _Our_ father, Loki," Thor growls, "he is the one that raised us."  
Loki scoffs. "Raised his voice at me, more like it."  
"Loki!" Thor bellows, jumping to his feet.  
Loki merely looks at him, sipping his tea. "He clearly did raise you, though."

Thor growls again and takes a step forward - only to be stopped by Aziraphale's outstretched arm.  
"None of that," he says mildly, his arm like steel.  
Thor sits back down.

"Where were we?" Loki asks, not waiting for an answer he continues, "Right. _Odin_ wants you to take me back to Asgard. Have you considered that I may have no desire to accompany you?"

Thor does not growl this time, and he thinks that is very considerate of him. "I don't want to force you, Loki, but I will if I have to."  
"No," Crowley interrupts. "You will not." He leans forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees. " _You_ will do absolutely nothing to Loki here that he doesn't want."

Thor considers it a great feat that he still doesn't raise his voice again. "As I have said, this doesn't concern you. He is the reason Asgard almost descended into war. But I'm sure he hasn't told you that."  
"Oh, no need to worry," Aziraphale says, "he has."  
"Yeah, he's also told us about the things you did, if you were wondering," Crowley adds, " _Princess._ "

Thor takes a deep breath through his nose. "I am not the man I was then."  
"How nice," Aziraphale says, and this time Thor can hear the sharpness in his voice - like a blade held back until needed. "I'm sure the same goes for Loki. Especially since he's even younger than you, if I'm not mistaken."  
"That does not excuse his actions," Thor states, confident that he will yet get these men to see his side. "He tried to kill an entire planet."

All three men stare at him.  
Aziraphale is the one to speak up again, "And did you not try to do the same?"  
"No," Thor says, a holding back a smirk. He's got them now, he's sure. "I admit I attempted to kill the Jotnar, but I never went after their planet."

"Oh," Crowley says dryly, "so you just tried to kill an entire planet's _population_ and not the planet itself. 'Course, that's _completely_ different."  
Thor frowns at him. "It would have been an honourable battle and not the cowardly attempt Loki made."

"Is that really," Aziraphale says lowly, "what you believe sets you two apart?"  
Thor looks at him. He realises that he might have made a mistake. The man is _seething._  
"No," he tries to rectify, "of course I have learned by now that I should not have gone out seeking battle that day." Thor isn't even sure why the sight of the arguably harmless looking man is so unnerving. For some reason, his instincts are screaming at him not to provoke him too much.  
"Good."

Thor doesn't dare look away from Aziraphale, but out of the corner of his eye, he does see that Loki... seems to be in awe? Not of Thor but of _Aziraphale._

After a moment of silence, Loki is indeed the one to speak again, "Now, _brother_ , as you can surely tell, I am quite comfortable here on Midgard. I'm certain you understand its appeal."  
Thor recognises the sharpness in Loki's words much more easily now. He wishes he didn't.  
"I have absolutely no desire to return to Asgard at this time. So, unless you truly intend to _force_ me, I'm afraid you'll have to return empty-handed."  
"Loki," Thor says quietly, but his brother holds up a hand, silencing him.  
"I'm not going with you, Thor." Loki sighs. "Maybe visit that human you're so fond of. I'm sure she would appreciate it."

Thor looks at Loki. At his brother. And perhaps for the first time, he truly _sees_ him. Sees the way he holds himself tall and straight. The way his hands curl around the cup of tea still in his hands. How he leans towards Crowley next to him in only the smallest extent.  
And Thor sees the other two men. How protective they clearly are of Loki. How they've been protecting him from _Thor_ from the moment he arrived.  
And Loki doesn't seem insecure, doesn't hold himself back.

 _"Know your place, brother,"_ echoes in his mind.  
Perhaps, Loki has finally found it. And who would Thor be to take it away from him? Because despite what they have been through, Thor still loves his little brother. And if this is where he wants to be, Thor can live with that.

He nods. "I understand, brother."  
Loki's eyes widen momentarily before he smiles.  
Thor stands up and turns to Aziraphale and Crowley. "Please continue to care for my brother. I shall not bother you again."

"Of course," Aziraphale answers, smiling now.  
Crowley shrugs. "Don't need to tell us."

Thor nods at them, nods at Loki and turns to leave. He's already at the door when there is movement behind him.

"Thor."

Loki stands alone this time, arms crossed in front of his chest. Thor looks at him but stays silent.

"If," Loki says, uncrossing his arms, "if you don't try to bring me to Asgard, I suppose you could visit again." His voice grows quieter towards the end, but Thor understands him.  
He smiles. "I would love to. Thank you, Loki."  
His brother avoids his eyes, but there is a small matching smile on his face. "Yes, well, don't make me regret it."  
"Of course," Thor grins. More serious, he adds, "I'm glad you have found a place to belong, brother."

Loki's stares at him before the smile returns, more genuine then Thor has seen in years.  
"Yes," he says, "me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it.  
> I hope you liked it and thank you very much for joining me for this little story!


End file.
